MindSet Developer Tools
Readme.txt

The MindSet Development Tools are a set of software tools that make it easy to 
create innovative applications that can respond to a user's brainwaves and mental state.

If you already have a MindSet, you will be able to take full advantage of it through 
our Developer Tools. If you are trying out the developer tools before purchasing a MindSet, 
check out the tools and if you have any questions, let us know at support@neurosky.com.

How can I use the MindSet Development Tools?
The MindSet Development Tools contain a number of ways for developers to integrate 
brainwave-sensing functionality into existing programs, or to create new ones from 
scratch.

What is included in the MindSet Developer Tools?
There are three APIs: ThinkGear Communications Driver, ThinkGear Connector, and the 
MindSet Communications Protocol. One of these different implementations should provide 
the most appropriate level of access for your project. 

For the newest information, tutorials, and more, please visit: http://developer.neurosky.com


ThinkGear Communications Driver
- Ideal for C / C++ / C# / Objective-C
- Windows and OS X shared libraries (<code>.dll</code> and <code>.bundle</code>) 
- Easy-to-use API
   
The ThinkGear Communications Driver (TGCD) is a native Windows and OS X library that 
handles all the "heavy lifting" of interacting with a MindSet, from setting up the 
connection to interpreting the data stream received from the MindSet. The API exposed 
by TGCD is extremely simple.

TGCD is distributed as a .dll (for Windows) and a .bundle (for OS X), making it 
suitable for applications written in C or C derivatives (i.e. C++, C#, or Objective-C).


ThinkGear Connector
- Ideal for scripting languages like Flash / Python / Ruby
- Windows and OS X executables
- Uses socket APIs
- Headset-less development mode

The ThinkGear Connector (TGC) is a software program - analogous to a socket server - 
that runs as a background process on your computer and is responsible for directing 
MindSet data from the serial port to an open network socket. It is available on both 
Windows and OS X. Any language or framework that contains a socket library should be 
able to communicate with it. TGC is an ideal option for developers working in frameworks 
like Adobe Flash.

TGC also contains a "Headset-less mode" of operation, enabling developers without 
MindSets to get a head-start on integrating brainwave-sensing capabilities into 
their applications.


MindSet Communications Protocol
- Ideal for microcontroller projects, e.g., Arduino-based kits
- Allows for development on platforms with Bluetooth SPP access
- ANSI C source code for a full parser

For developers who want to integrate MindSet functionality in an embedded environment 
or for those developers who want to delve into the inner workings of the data stream 
transmitted by the MindSet, the MDT includes full documentation of the MindSet's 
communications protocol, as well as the ANSI C source code for an implementation of 
its packet parser. Developers can drop this source code into their projects without 
having to worry about their compilation environments.
